Lipopolysaccharide induction of indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase is mediated dominantly by an IFN-gamma-independent mechanism

Eur J Immunol. 2001 Aug;31(8):2313-8. doi: 10.1002/1521-4141(200108)31:8<2313::aid-immu2313>3.0.co;2-s.

Abstract

Indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) is a rate-limiting enzyme in the L-tryptophan-kynurenine pathway, which converts an essential amino acid, L-tryptophan, to N-formylkynurenine. It has been speculated that IFN-gamma is a dominant IDO inducer in vivo. The present study used IFN-gamma or TNF-alpha gene-disrupted mice and IFN-gamma antibody-treated mice to demonstrate that lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced systemic IDO is largely dependent on TNF-alpha rather than IFN-gamma. IFN-gamma-independent IDO induction was also demonstrated in vitro with LPS-stimulated monocytic THP-1 cells. These findings clearly indicate that there is an IFN-gamma-independent mechanism of IDO induction in addition to the IFN-gamma-dependent mechanism.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antibodies / pharmacology
  • Cytokines / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Cytokines / physiology
  • Enzyme Induction / drug effects
  • Gene Deletion
  • Humans
  • Indoleamine-Pyrrole 2,3,-Dioxygenase
  • Interferon-gamma / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Interferon-gamma / genetics
  • Interferon-gamma / physiology*
  • Lipopolysaccharides / pharmacology*
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Knockout
  • RNA, Messenger / genetics
  • RNA, Messenger / metabolism
  • Tryptophan Oxygenase / genetics
  • Tryptophan Oxygenase / metabolism*
  • Tumor Cells, Cultured
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / genetics
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / physiology

Substances

  • Antibodies
  • Cytokines
  • Indoleamine-Pyrrole 2,3,-Dioxygenase
  • Lipopolysaccharides
  • RNA, Messenger
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
  • Interferon-gamma
  • Tryptophan Oxygenase